The Fire Within
by Invisible-Anonymity 2.0.06.9
Summary: Calyx is a teen boy who wants to become a Ranger. One day it becomes real, as he struggles through his first year of apprenticeship disaster strikes in the form of bandits. But not the usual kind. They destroy Calyx's hometown and slaughter his whole family except his cousin. The fire of revenge is kindled in Calyx's heart, but how far will it take him?


**The Fire Within**

_By Mysti_

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**Disclaimer: John Flanagan owns the Ranger's Apprentice, I only own my OCs, nothing more and nothing less.**

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**Chapter 1**

"Calyx!" I hear a voice faintly yell from the edges of my consciousness. "Hey Calyx! It's time for chores, your going to be late again," the voice persists. I groan and roll over. I then feel a pillow whacked into my face.

"Alright, I'm up," I groan slowly pushing myself up.

"You have two minutes," Goldwyn calls over her shoulder as she closes the door behind her. Half a sleep I drag myself over to my chest of clothes and clumsily get dressed into work clothes. As I slowly trundle down the stairs and through the family room toward the back door, I notice that it's still dark outside. How come farmers must wake up at such ungodly hours in the morning?

At the back door I grab an already lit lantern and pull on my heavy work boots. As I walk towards the barn I silently thank Mom who most likely lit a lantern for me. It's pitch black out here and with out it I'd probably trip and fall with out it in my groggy half asleep state. Mom knows me very well.

"There you are," says Father as I enter the barn,"took you long enough," to tired to care I simply grunt in reply.

"Hey flame head, your shirt's on backwards," I hear Goldwyn's voice behind me. I whip around to face a giggling Goldwyn. I scowl at her. I earned the name flame head due to my hair that refuses to lay down, instead it stands up straight going of in every direction. Apparently Goldwyn thought my hair looked like flames and decided to call me flame head, and continues to do so much to my annoyance.

After flipping my shirt back around I help father feed the cows, pigs and horses. After all the animals are fed and taken care of we all go inside for breakfast which Mom has been making.

After we all sit down Mom begins serving everyone buckwheat pancakes and sausage. As Mom is serving me she looks down at me.

"Calyx, later today I'll need your help with churning butter. With all of the canning, pickling and preserving we've done Goldwyn and I are getting behind on churning," Mom looks at Father.

"Unless you need him for something else?" Father shakes his head no. I silently groan and slump in my chair, I hate churning butter. It is the worst thing ever. You just sit there and churn and churn and churn. It is a never ending repetitive job.

From across the table Goldwyn shoots me a sympathetic look. She knows how much I hate churning. But there is nothing we can do about, early fall is a difficult time for us all. We have to hurry to get everything harvested before the early frosts come. If we don't our crops will die.

Once I finish my breakfast I drop my dishes off in the sink and head outside for more work. The sun rose while we ate breakfast. As I walk out to the orchard I take in the fresh cool autumn air. I've always loved the outdoors since I was a little kid.

Today we will be harvesting all the apples, which is one of my favorite things to do.

Once I get to the orchards I see Father standing with a bunch of barrels ready and some ladders. Father smiles at me as he hands me a ladder, he knows that this is my favorite part of harvest.

As we're gathering the apples Father and I talk.

"Do you need my help repairing the fences around the chickens?" I ask hopefully as we work. Father shakes his head and I can see the faintest hint of a smile in his face. He probably guessed why I asked.

"Okay," I sigh, I was hoping that I could get out of churning butter but I guess not. "Are you sure repairing the fence will be enough?" I ask a little worried.

"Should be, Farmer Mandsin said Ranger Curtis has been taking care of the coyote problem," I nod my head in understanding.

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I slump in my chair at the table, my arms feel as if they're going to fall off.

"Calyx, sit up straight in your chair," Mom reproves sending me a look as she serves dinner.

"Yes ma'am," I say and sit up in my chair.

Half way through dinner Father looks at me as I eat my dinner as fast as I can without getting in trouble from Mom.

"So Calyx, have you decided who you want to be apprenticed to?" Father asks as he sets his fork down and folds his arms. A sign that he is being very serious. I gulp down the food in my mouth.

"Um, not really," I nervously reply.

"Really?" says Mom, "I thought you had wanted to be apprenticed to the blacksmith," I just shrug uncertainly, not sure what to say.

From across the table Goldwyn looks up from her plate.

"That was a few years ago, now Calyx wants to join the Ranger Corps," Goldwyn says in a calm but muted voice. I drop my fork and stare in horror at Goldwyn.

From across the kitchen I hear Mom drop the dishes, the glass shattering on the ground.

I turn around to look at Mom. Her face is pale.

"W-why?" Mom stutters in horror.

I turn to Goldwyn,

"Why did you tell them, I thought I could trust you!" I hiss at Goldwyn.

"They would've figured out sooner or later," Goldwyn mumbles staring down at her plate. I slump back in my chair, this is just great.

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**A/N: so this is a plot bunny that was to fluffy to ignore, so I caught it and made it mine. And it's so fluffy! **

**Anyway, this is a rough first chapter of a story idea I had, should I keep it or set it free? You decide and tell me by reviewing down below!**

**(I understand if you think it's a bit crappy, *sniffle* but the bunny has lots of mud that needs to be washed off, so please bear with my pet bunny while I clean it up.)**

**Happy Writing!**

**-mysti**


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